Seasonal Nursing-Florida

[onthego22]

I would like to know if anyone has any experience doing seasonal nursing in Florida. I am looking at the Gulf Coast from Tampa to Punta Gorda area. I have family around Bradenton and could potentially stay with them if in that area.

Is it better to go through the hospital or through an agency? If agency, which one?

Are there certain hospitals/health systems to avoid?

Are there certain areas to avoid?

What rates should I expect? It appears it would be in the $40.00/hr range. What about housing? Insurance?

Any other info you could offer would be fantastic! Our family of 3 would like to relocate to Florida from Ohio and I think this would be a good first step to seeing what is out there as far as jobs, housing, etc. Which leads me to wonder about relocation packages??

Thank you!!

[NedRN]

If you find hospitals with in-house seasonal nurse programs, such as Bradenton, they usually pay better than you can get with an agency. A small downside is that they will tax all your compensation, including either provided housing or a housing stipend. If I read your post right, you will not be returning to Ohio. That means you have abandoned your tax home and are not eligible for tax-free reimbursements anyway. So that wouldn't be a downside for you.

And yes, your better bang for the buck may be to go straight to staff as usually there will be an offer for relocation. No harm in exploring all the options when you talk to HR.